EXPLORING MY ADOPTED CITY AND BEYOND
“Ah, dear Brighton—piers, queers and racketeers!” NOEL COWARD 1899-1973 – English playwright, actor, songwriter There is one invariable seaside town that sits persistently at the top of every tourists Must Visit list. A mere hour’s train journey from central London, Brighton lies perched along the southern stretch of East Sussex, and due to the construction… Continue reading
Although named after Philip Ibbetson Fenton, a Yorkshireman who made his fortune as a Riga merchant exporting Russian produce to London in the 18th century, Fenton House, in London’s affluent Hampstead, has been shaped by a rich and varied succession of owners and inhabitants since its original inception in 1696. Constructed by master bricklayer William… Continue reading
“Beauty is not an extra. It’s an affirmation that there’s more to life than existence and consumption and utility.” – Tim Smit – Co-founder of the Eden Project Sometimes you visit a place so special, so utterly ambitious, that you wonder how it ever came to fruition in the first place. An aspiring idea is,… Continue reading
I remember as a child I used to wait with desperate anticipation outside the local bakery after school, in hope that today was the day the bakers chose to make their delicious apricot pies. I was hooked. That sweet buttery pastry with its tangy sticky filling was pure delight, and what seemed an eternity to… Continue reading
When pondering the perfectly precise way to describe London, the amazing metropolis that I now call home, I so often draw comparisons between this vivacious city and a vibrant, bustling farmer’s market. Both are a compilation of independent and unique offerings. London encompasses fascinating cosmopolitan neighbourhoods, all with their own inimitable architectural details, rich cultural… Continue reading
The English, much like the Australians, love a good old game of sport. They love to play sport, they love to watch sport, and most importantly, they love to talk about sport. Crowds of cotton clad Brits, dazzling in their crisp white shorts, relish the mild English summers, allowing them to sit outside in neat,… Continue reading
Although the affluent residential town of Richmond is situated a mere 10 miles from central London, it once was rural agricultural countryside consisting of large houses and hunting lodges of the extremely wealthy. One such estate, a 17th century treasure trove, lies nestled among the naturalistic landscape along the banks of the river Thames. Tucked… Continue reading
What must Florence have been like during the city’s Age of Enlightenment. Brunelleschi was constructing his ground-breaking dome that would soon perch high above the city’s red brick skyline, presiding over the people with steadfast assurance and monumental beauty. How must it have felt to wander through the rabbit warren of brooding Medieval alleyways, to… Continue reading
“I was offered a free villa in Hollywood, but I said no thank you, I prefer to live in Italy.” – Ennio Morricone Travel is a privilege that gives us the opportunity to observe, and hopefully learn from, cultures and customs that are not our own; especially when it comes to food traditions. Some places… Continue reading
Cornwall may well be firmly attached to mainland England, but this spectacular county on the rugged southwestern tip has its own blend of unique charm and beauty that perfectly separates it from the rest of the country. Cornwall’s reach extends considerably into the Celtic Sea, forming a jagged peninsula culminating at the promontory of Land’s… Continue reading